Weighing machine



Feb. 1923, 1,444,337

-A c. DODGE WEIGH NG ACH NE Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES ALFRED C. DODGE, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

Application filed October 9, 1920. Serial No. 415,819.

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALrRnn C. DODGE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Yonkers, in the county of "estchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Veighing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weighing machines, and more especially to lever or beam scales of the general character illustrated in my Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,180,380, dated April 25, 1916, and No. 1,236,686, dated August 14, 1.917, which patented scales comprise, amongst other things, a rotary hingitudinally movable poise carry ing frzu-tional graduations, a fixed scale operatively associated therewith carrying unit graduations, and means carried by the beam for effecting and controlling the movements of the poise. as will more fully appear by ref erence to said Letters Patent.

The present invention comprises certain im pro vcments in the patented scales with the object of simplifying and modifying the con-.

struction and arrangement of their component parts in such a manner as to ensure greater facility and accuracy of operation than heretofore, and at the same time to reduce the cost of manufacture and to im prove the appearance of the machine in several particulars.

The said improvements, generally stated, concern adjustable connections for efiecting and ensuring the accurate positioning of the material suporting devices carried by the beam; novel mechanism for operating and controlling the graduated poise on the beam; and novel means for supporting a supplemental weight in co-operative relation to the coupling devices therefor on the beam; all of which will be hereinafter fully described, and the scope of the invention then be de fined in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of a weighing machine embodying my invention, the bed for the material support being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. said bed being shown.

Fig. 2 is a similar section through a modified form of the screw shaft and adjuncts.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the mu h inc, as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the equalizing connection for the frame structure of the material support.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the scrcw-slnft, thc cooperating nut therefor, and adjuncts, as on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

big. (3 is a similar section through the spindle and poise sleeve, showing an adjustable friction member.

Figs. '7 and 8 are perspective views of associated pivot members hereinafter described for supporting the coupling device for a supnental weight. lieferring to the drawings, 10 designates a ba. 11 a standard thereon, and 12 an oscillatory beam pivotally mounted on said standard and equipped with a suitable support for the material to be weighed. This supportcomprises a bed 13 carried by a frame structure 14.- which is pivotally connected with the beam.

The structure 14 includes a hanger portion 15 provided at its lower end with a rod 16 which depends through a suitable opening 16 into the interior of the base. An upstanding threaded portion 18 of the rod 16 projects through the apertured lower member 11) of the hanger and is provided with a clamp-nut 20 whereby the said rod and hanger can be securely, yet detachably, connccted.

The lower portion of the rod 16 is flexibly connected by means of an equalizing link 17 with a fixture, as the rod 21, depending from the standard 11 down into the base,

which link is constructed and designed to permit and insure accurate perpendicular To this motion of the frame structure 14.

adjacent its ends openings 22 through whic the respective rods 16, 21 freely extend, and having also end tongues 23 which loosely project through slotted plates 24. 25 secured to the adjacent rods by suitably-disposed screw." 26. The holes for the screws are vertically elongated in order to permit limited vertical adjustment of the respective plates 21, on the rods. The plate 25 is preferably provided with a laterally projecting lug 27 having a threaded opening to receive the upper portion of a vertical set-screw 28, the lower portion of which is reversely threaded and mounted in a laterally projecting foot 29 formed on the rod 21. By the construction just described it will be seen that when the link and its end plates are assembled,

any imperfection oi adjustment of the link can be readily corrected by releasing the screws 26 for the plate and then manipulating the set-screw 28 to effect the accurate vertical adjustment or the pivotal connec tion oi the link with said plate. This being donev the screws 26 for the plate 25 are tightened. (See Figs, 2 and 4).

The poise 30 is mounted upon the scale beam 12 so as to have capacity for rotary and longitudinal movement thereon, and

provided with peripheral graduations and characters, constituting a fractional scale (designating ounces, for example) adapted to cooperate in the usual manner with unit (or pound) graduations, or characters, upon the relatively fixed scale member 31. The poise is provided with a central bushing SQhaving a polygonal aperture which is slidably mounted upon a rotary spindle of polygonal cross-section, extending longitudinallyol the beam. That end of this spindle remote from the material support is journaledin a suitable bearing on the thereof.

prises an internally threaded portion 30 beam, and the other end of the spindle is journaled in" a bearing socket 235 in the inner end of a stationary externallythreaded' shaft '36. This shaft is in axial alinement with the spindle; the outer end of the former being fixedlysuppor ed in a bearing; 37 on the adjacent end of the/beam.

hastened to the poise 30 is a relatively long sleeve 38 which encircles the screw shalt 36 and is movable longitudinally The outer end of this sleeve comas at 40, and has its opposing edges adjustably connected by screws at]. whereby the action of the nut upon the screw shaft can be nicely regulated. (See Figs. 2 and 5.)

The outer end of the spindle Ellis provided with a hand wheel 42, by the rotation of which the said spindle, together with the poise audits appurtenances, can be conven- 7 iently rotated in order to client precise rotary and. longitudinal ad ustment of the poise in relation to the fixed scale member 81.

Encasing the sleeve is a tubular sheath which is lined at its outer end to'a collar 4st on the shaft 86 and is supported at its inner end in a cross-bar of the scale-beam. The relative construction and arrangement ot'tlic movable sleeve and relatively ationary sheath are such hat the sleeve telethe spindle through and provlded at its outer end with l2 at the A shiii'ns scopes with the sheath and is thereby supported and guided during tllGG'll'lilIG longi tudinal travel of the sleeve and the poise,

and protected, and altogether an efficient and attractive structure is provided.

l t desired the screw-shaft 36 may be a tubularelement, and the inner journal oi. may be ez-ztended there a hand Wheel similar to thewheel opposite ends of the spindle. See Fig. 2. ln order to regulate the tension oi the poise onthe spindle ilQ-as occasion may require, 1 preferably secure within that end of the sleeve 38. adjacent the poise, a saddleshaped friction member 4:5 which slidably straddles the'spindle. This member secured to the sleeve by means of a set-screw l6, by the manipulation of which the memher can benicely adjusted to bear with more or less force on the opposing surface-of the spindle. This trictionmember being fast to the sleeve I 38 travels, longitudinally of the spindleconcurrently with the poise. (flee Fig. 6.)

(in the shaft 36 and spindle 33, adjacent their outer ends, are sets O'flllfififtl shims eliQyiS, respectively, which determine to a nicctv the extreme limits oi" longitudinal trai ll ol' the poise. One'set (457') of the is titted upon; the shaft 36 betweei'i the collar ll and a spaced collar-d9 on the shaft, and the other set 48 is applied to the outer jou" al extension of the spindle between the squared or shouldered portion of the latter and the adjacent bearing- 34. It

-is important that these shims be of metal,

such as brass, in order that they shallatford positive and reliable abutments.

A- supplen'iental weight 50 is adapted to be operatively connected to the outer end of the. beam preliminary to weighing a load t d 58 of the opening weighted rod o is maintained in vertical position. Then the night 5:.) is not in actual serviie the collar 5? rests upon the beveled seat 58 in the fixture 55. The rod ()l'lVflnQil with head Secured-to the bearing on the beam 152 lli) is abushing member having appropriate seats 61 for knife edges 62 formed on the limbs of 2. depending yoke 63. This yoke rotatably supports, as by a pivot screw 64-, a bell-shaped coupling member 65 having within it a slotted horizontal partition (56, The mouth of the member 65 is so disposed as to encaso the T-head ot' the rod \Vheu it is desired to connect the supplemental weight to the scale beam, the end of the beam carrying the coupling member ()5 is lowered, and such member is partially turned on its axis so as to aline its internal slot with the T-head of the rod The slot is then brought into registry with and below the T-head, and the coupling member is turned in a manner to engage its partition with the bottom of the T-head, thereby effecting a reliable connection between the rod and the scale beam. To disconnect the weight 50 from the beam it is merely necessary to turn the coupling member sutficiently to locate the slot in alinement with the T-head, whereupon the weight 50 drops and the conical collar 57 becomes centrally seated in the guide opening of the fixture 55, above mentioned.

By the construction and arrangement 01'? parts just described the rod for the supplemental weight has ample capacity for lateral movement while in service, and yet the arcurate vertical disposition of the rod to permit its ready connection with the coupling member, is ensured.

It is to be understood that I do not limit Inysel'l. to the specific details of construction herein disclosed, as the mechanism may be modified in various respects within the principle of the invention and. the scope of the appended claims.

I claim-- 1. In a weighing machine, the combination with a base, a beam mounted to oscillate above said base, and a poise on said beam, ot a material. support including an element pivotally connected to the beam and having a depending portion, a fixture in spaced relation to said depending portion and haw ing a laterally -projecting foot with a threaded opening therein, vertically adjustable pivot bearing's on said depending portion and fixture, and a link pivotally supported at its ends in said bearings, the pivotbearing on said fixture comprising a vertically adjustable plate havinga late .lyprojecting lug with a threaded openingtherein in alinement with the opening in the said foot. and a set-screw fitted in the two openings.

2. In a weighing machine. the combination with a base, a beam mounted to osiillate above said base, and a poise on said beam, of a material support including an element pivotally connected to the beam and liming a depending portion, a fixture in spaced relation to said depending portion, slotted bearing plates on said depending portion and fixture, means for adjustably securing said plates in place, and a link having openings for the p- .x e of said portion and nxture and lnnnng also end tongues which loosely enttr the slots of the respective plates.

In a weighing machine, the combination of a support for the material to be weighed, a beam for said support, an externally threaded shaft fixed on the beam, a spindle in axial alinement with the shaft, a poise mounted on said spindle for rotary and longitudinal movement thereon, and a sleeve fast to said poise and encircling the screw-shaft, said sleeve having a nut portion in registry with the thread of the screwshaft.

i. In a weighing machine, the combination of a support for the material to be weighed, a beam for said support, an externally screw-threaded shaft fixed on the beam, a spindle in axial alinement with the shaft, a poise mounted on said spindle :ifor rotary and longitudinal movement therei on, and a sleeve encircling said screw-shaft, said sleeve having one end thereof afiixed to the poise and having its opposite end internally threaded for engagement with the thread of the screw-shaft.

5. In a weighing machine, the combination of a support for the material to be weighed, a beam for said support, an externally srrew-threaded shaft fixed on the beam, a spindle in axial alinement with the shaft, a poise mounted on said spindle for rotary and longitudinal movement thereon, and a sleeve encircling said screw-shaft, said sleeve having one end thereof affixed to the poise and having its opposite end longitudinally split and internally threaded for engagement with the thread oi? the screwshaft, together with adjusting means for the split end of the sleeve.

6. In a weighing machine, the combination of a support for the material to be weighed, a beam for said support, an externally screw-threaded shaft fixed on the beam, a spindle in axial alinement with the shaft, a poise mounted on said spindle for rotary and longitudinal movement thereon, a fast to said poise and encircling the screw ii't, said sleeve having a nut portion in registry with the thread of the screwshat't, and a guide sheath :last on said beam and encasing the said sleeve.

"7. In a ix'eighing machine. the combination of a support for the material to be weighed, a beam for said support, an externally c ew-threaded shaft fixed on the he beam. a spindle in axial alineinent with sha poise mounted on said spindle for rotary and longitudinal movement thereon, a sleeve fast to said poise and. encircling the screvv-shaft, said sleeve having a nut portion in registry with the thread of the screw-shaft, and sets of metal shims on said shaft and spindle constructed and arranged to. provide limiting stops for the said poise and sleeve.

8. In a weighing machine, the combination of a support for the material to be sleeve.

9. In a weighing machine having an oscillatory beam, the combination with said beam, of a supplementary weight, suspension rod therefor having spaced apart coupling and centralizing members, a fixed centralizing member with which the central1zmg member on the" rod is adapted to register, and a coupling member suspended from V the beam and adapted to co-operate with the coupling member on the said rod.

10. In a Weighing; machine having an oscillatory beam, the con'ibmation with said beam, of a supplementai"y weight, a suspension rod thereior llilVlIlQ; s T-head at 1ts upper end, and having a conical n'iember below said head, a fixture having a vertical aperture through which the rod freely extends, the mouth of said aperture being), beveled correspondingly with the conical member, and a coupling men'lber suspended from the beam and having a slotted portion adapted to be detachably' connected with the T-head of the said-suspension rod.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this 8th day of ()ctober A. D. 1920.

ALFRED C. DODGE. 

